Last week, the NHL and NHLPA were reportedly on track to resume negotiations on Dec. 26 or Dec. 27.

That, obviously, didn't come to pass — but Thursday did bring at least some sort of positive step in the NHL lockout; the league has sent a new collective bargaining agreement proposal to the NHLPA, and in it they reportedly attempted to move in the union's direction on several issues.

The union, according to multiple reports, held a 3 p.m. ET conference call to discuss the offer. And apparently that set the stage for talks to possibly reopen.

The league and union will hold a joint conference call on Saturday to go over the proposal by the NHL, according to the Winnipeg Free Press. The two sides hope to meet in New York on Sunday, according to the Free Press.

The main point, as first reported by ESPN's Pierre LeBrun, who heard about the offer from a player: The league is willing to allow contracts reach six years and (still) seven in the instance of teams resigning their own players.

When negotiations derailed earlier this month in New York, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly had called five-year limits "the hill we'll die on." Given the circumstances at the time, it seemed like the league was propping the issue up so, at some point, its owners could close the gap and create the appearance of a major concession.

Whether that's what happened now is unknowable — but movement is movement.

Also part of the offer: 10 percent variances in annual salaries (up from 5 percent). That's an attempt to eliminate back-diving contracts, which put extra years and relatively small salaries on the books to shrink salary-cap hits.

Players had their own idea, which penalized teams for unplayed years on such deals, to take care of the issue.

And, of course, the $300 million "make whole" offer is back on the table. The attempt to compensate players on existing contracts was previously the deal's major sticking point, but the sides made progress on it in New York before those talks devolved into farce.

Daly confirmed on Friday afternoon that a "comprehensive offer" was made, and managed to work in a passive-aggressive dig against NHLPA executive Donald Fehr: "We are hopeful that once the Union’s staff and negotiating committee have had an opportunity to thoroughly review and consider our new proposal, they will share it with the players," Daly said in a released statement.

At multiple points in the negotiation process, the league has attempted to bypass Fehr and speak to players directly out of concerns that he wasn't presenting them with all available information—a charge Fehr and NHLPA members alike vehemently deny.

In any case, the league is attempting to strike something approaching a compromise, but there's no reason for overblown optimism, especially considering all the ups and downs of the process so far.

Main sticking points: The offer keeps the salary cap at about $60 million for 2013-14, which would lead to the players losing a larger portion of their salary to escrow. Teams, according to LeBrun and Mike Russo of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, would be allowed one buyout before next season, but that would still count against the players' share.

Plus, the NHLPA is authorized to disclaim interest on Jan. 2, which would allow players to file a class-action antitrust lawsuit against the league. An offer from owners now is a way to say, essentially, "hold on with all of that."

If nothing else, though, it indicates the league is at least acknowledging that a lost season would be catastrophic and that a deal needs to be done by the middle of January to preserve a 48-game schedule. Games through Jan. 14 already have been canceled.

Owners who want to get action back on the ice are pushing for a resolution. Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reported sources told him "owners have privately informed Bettman cancelling the season is not an acceptable option."

But should that decision be made, expect a final decision on 2012-13 about Jan. 11. Renaud Levoie of RDS.ca reported that would be the drop-dead date, and others said if the deal is done by then play would pick up on Jan. 19, following a week of training camp.